I think most women would prefer a “calling” rather than a job. Why? Because jobs are too small for us. We are destined to do something more meaningful with our lives, our gifts. So why do we resist? Well, jobs are critical. We do need to “earn a living.” And “earning a living” gets in the way of the exploration to look for and reveal our “calling.” 

We hesitate to answer the call from our authentic self, especially as we move into midlife. We become torn by the realities of being m others and daughters–of taking care of our children and possibly our aging parents. We also become susceptible to accepting comfort and predictability. Predictability is typically the choice we make because, well, it’s predictable. We have a guarantee. Making a new or different choice creates an unknown, a mystery of sorts. Many women will ask the question, “Is it possible that I do not have a calling”? The truth is, we are all chosen. We all get the call. The challenge is making a decision to embrace your “calling” once you make this marvelous discovery.

Sometimes the call comes in and we are so busy navigating our lives–our jobs, families, community involvement–that we miss the call. Or we delete it by accident, not realizing how important it is. I want to share something with you: In my work, I find women who feel they are wasting time, as they have not found their call yet, and they become frustrated. They do not feel that they are offering their unique gifts to the world. Let me assure you that everything you have done in your life up until now has been a part of your “calling.” You have not lost or wasted any time. All of the life lessons, skills, talent, and gifts that you possess (and you have many!) will be with you always. The key is to create the time and space in your life to discover your “calling”–your gifts to the world. Time is the elusive lover–one that we never seem to have enough of and yet, time is the tool that you must have in your backpack on your journey to the discovery of your authentic self–your “calling.” You must be courageous and make a firm commitment to time and space where you can explore what might be next for you.

In my Women’s Success Circles, time and space are created so that exploration and discovery of your “call” can happen. It’s a place where “callings” can be heard in a safe environment. It’s a place where you can dream about what’s possible for you and construct a plan to make it happen. I remember a time in my life when I felt empty. I kept searching for something to fill me up. I had lost my energy and passion for my work. It was not until I created the time and safe space in my life that I began to discover what was truly next for me. Being courageous enough to do this has made all the difference. I invite you to be courageous as well. I’m going to leave you today with a favorite quote from one of my great mentors, Buddha: “Your work is to discover your work and then will all your heart to give yourself to it.”

Anything is possible.  Everything is waiting for you.

*****
© 2010 Joy Chudacoff
 
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:  Joy Chudacoff, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions®, a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur.  She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs.  If you’re ready take your life and your business to the next level, get your FREE Tips, 2 FREE Reports and FREE MP3 now at  http://www.CreatingTheSpark.com.

Do you have any idea what that ring tone sounds like? You may be reading this and saying to yourself, “What is Joy talking about?” “I don’t hear anything like that.” Well, I’m not surprised. With phones ringing everywhere, music playing, family members and clients calling out for attention, how could you possibly hear your own unique call? And maybe you don’t even think you have one. You do have one.

Do you ever get irritated or unsettled by all of the noise going on around you? Do you just want to go somewhere and be quiet and peaceful? Do you sometimes feel like you are on an emotional rollercoaster? Everything is fine in your life but you still feel stuck? You feel so lucky to be alive and healthy but at the same time you know that something has changed. This is the beginning of a calling.

How do I know this? About 10 years ago, my internal telephone was ringing. It started with that soft ring tone—you know the one that’s not too annoying and you can ignore it? I, of course, chose to ignore it at the time. Why? Well, when you answer your call, it can sometimes mean that things and circumstances in your life may need to change. And you know how we all love change—right? A wise mentor once told me that “Change does not always mean success but success always means change.”

I also had very loud phones ringing in every area of my life to drown out the sound of my own unique call—family, friends, and clients. Eventually, my internal telephone set its ring tone to LOUD and it was determined to be heard. And once I truly gave myself the space to be quiet and really hear it, I answered it. And the voice at the other end came through loud and clear. When I answered my own unique call, I discovered that working with women to help them explore and discover their call, their passion, and their purpose was part of my journey.

Was it easy? No. A lot of changes had to take place not only within me but also with my family. Was it worth it? You bet! I love what I’m doing and I have unlimited energy for it. The process I went through to answer my call is the basis of my Women’s Success Circles today. I want to give every woman who wants to answer her call, the unique opportunity to have the space and environment to explore, discover, and make a plan to follow her own internal, unique voice.

How about you? Do you hear your own unique internal telephone ringing? Are you going to answer it now or will you send it right to voicemail? Remember, with most voicemail systems, messages not picked up in 30 days will expire and be deleted from the system. I can’t imagine what my life might be like if I had not had the courage to answer my call. I’m going to leave you with a quote that my friend and smart woman Kathy LaSalla shared with me a few days ago: “The great danger of most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” —-Michelangelo

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

Copyright 2009 Joy Chudacoff

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:  Joy Chudacoff, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions(tm), a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur.  She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs.  If you’re ready take your life and your business to the next level, get your FREE Tips, 2 FREE Reports and FREE MP3 now at http://www.CreatingTheSpark.com.

I think most women would prefer a “calling” rather than a job.  Why?  Because jobs are too small for us.  We are destined to do something more meaningful with our lives, our gifts.  So why do we resist?  Well, jobs are critical.  We do need to “earn a living.”  And “earning a living” gets in the way of the exploration to look for and reveal our “calling.”

We hesitate to answer the call from our authentic self, especially as we move into midlife.  We become torn by the realities of being mothers and daughters—of taking care of our children and possibly our aging parents.  We also become susceptible to accepting comfort and predictability.  Predictability is typically the choice we make because, well, it’s predictable.  We have a guarantee.  Making a new or different choice creates an unknown, a mystery of sorts.  Many women will ask the question, “Is it possible that I do not have a calling”?  The truth is, we are all chosen.  We all get the call.  The challenge is making a decision to embrace your “calling” once you make this marvelous discovery.

Sometimes the call comes in and we are so busy navigating our lives—our jobs, families, community involvement—that we miss the call.  Or we delete it by accident, not realizing how important it is.  I want to share something with you: In my work, I find women who feel they are wasting time, as they have not found their call yet, and they become frustrated.  They do not feel that they are offering their unique gifts to the world.  Let me assure you that everything you have done in your life up until now has been a part of your “calling.”  You have not lost or wasted any time.  All of the life lessons, skills, talent, and gifts that you possess (and you have many!) will be with you always.

The key is to create the time and space in your life to discover your “calling”—your gifts to the world.  Time is the elusive lover—one that we never seem to have enough of and yet, time is the tool that you must have in your backpack on your journey to the discovery of your authentic self—your “calling.”  You must be courageous and make a firm commitment to time and space where you can explore what might be next for you.

In my Women’s Success Circles, time and space are created so that exploration and discovery of your “call” can happen.  It’s a place where “callings” can be heard in a safe environment.  It’s a place where you can dream about what’s possible for you and construct a plan to make it happen.  I remember a time in my life when I felt empty.  I kept searching for something to fill me up.  I had lost my energy and passion for my work.  It was not until I created the time and safe space in my life that I began to discover what was truly next for me.  Being courageous enough to do this has made all the difference.  I invite you to be courageous as well.  I’m going to leave you today with a favorite quote from one of my great mentors, Buddha:

“Your work is to discover your work and then will all your heart to give yourself to it.”

© 2008 Joy Chudacoff

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Joy Chudacoff is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions, a Certified Professional Coach and Motivational Speaker. To read more articles by Joy and learn more about her Success Circle workshops, teleseminars or keynote topics, please visit her website, www.SmartWomenSolutions.com or contact Joy at Joy@SmartWomenSolutions.com.